Bill Shanor is an expert shoemaker who has a thing for collecting Indian flutes. After trading a pair of his custom-made boots for a couple of “wall hangers” at a fair in downtown Ashland years ago, Shanor was hooked. He loved the flutes, and began seeking out flute makers who were willing to swap for his boots.

For those lucky flute makers, trading for a pair of Shanor’s custom-fit boots was a valuable exchange. In fact, Shanor’s shoemaking skills are world-renowned. People come from all over the world to apprentice with him. Shanor is happy to act as tutor because when he himself was learning, he had a difficult time finding someone to teach him the trade. As a result, Shanor openly shares all of his “secrets” with his students and encourages them to learn every part of the process.

Shanor also feels that it is important to let people work with their hands, as he worries that people have fewer and fewer opportunities to be creative in this country. “There’s just something innate about us that wants to create something… I’m lucky that I found what I like [to create],” he says.

The creativity and the innovation that bootmaking requires inspires Shanor. “I don’t think I’ve ever made a boot the same way twice. It’s always a constant evolution, and that’s what excites me."

During filming for a story for Oregon Art Beat, Shanor and OPB audio technician Bill Ward jammed together on instruments from Shanor’s Indian flute collection.

Learn more about Bill Shanor this week on Oregon Art Beat.